Ruchi Mendiratta Khanna

Ruchi Mendiratta Khanna – ruchimk@bu.edu

Ruchi Mendiratta Khanna is a doctoral student in Special Education at Boston University’s Wheelock College of Education & Human Development.  Through the interdisciplinary training initiative under Project TEAMS, she studies equitable approaches to supporting student mental health and well-being, particularly for culturally, linguistically, and racially diverse students, as well as students with disabilities.

Before beginning her doctoral studies, Ruchi worked for over a decade as a special education teacher and Board-Certified Behavior Analyst (BCBA) in Massachusetts public schools. Her research focuses on culturally responsive social-emotional learning, school belonging, teacher preparation, and strengthening family-school partnerships to promote equitable and inclusive educational experiences.

Beyond her research, Ruchi collaborates with community organizations to co-design research and advocacy initiatives that amplify families’ voices and strengthen partnerships between schools and caregivers. Outside of academia, she enjoys gardening, traveling, and exploring how the intersection of art, culture, cooking, and nutrition can promote individual and community well-being.